06-09-2007, 06:21 AM
<b>US heritage body wants Ram Setu preserved</b>
Prakaash M Swami | New York
# <b>World Monuments Fund</b> favours garnering public support on this
ancient bridge
# Government can make it a tourist attraction, say experts
World Monuments Fund, an international preservation organisation that
brings out World Monuments Watch List of endangered sites, has said
that the Government of India should be made to realise that it's more
valuable to preserve Ram Setu or Adam's Bridge than demolishing it.
Marilyn Perry, chairman of the fund, said in an interview on the
sidelines of the function to release the list of endangered sites of
the world in its New York Madison Avenue office that the Federal
Government could consider sending scuba divers underwater to collect
sand deposits and analyse them in the laboratory. "The Government
could leave the disputed area untouched and make it as a tourist
attraction by sending tourists in glass bottom boats to see what's
inside the sea. That could compensate for whatever is the revenue loss
of diversion. They could also invite international team of scuba
divers to come and take underwater photography and tests to find out
whether the rock formations still exit. It's easy to demolish but hard
to construct anything again," she said.
Agreeing that the fund is not a world policeman and its requests may
fell on deaf ears, she said an alternative vision of the value which
Government officials may not see should be created. "They often only
see the water and the revenue and not the archaeological importance
beneath the sea. The organisers of the movement could use mass media
such as television and also make a film and show to the people to
create awareness. We have to create enough documentation that the
bridge was ancient and that it's sacred to both India and Sri Lanka as
it demonstrates historic connections. Instead of being frightened of
the national Government, the organisers should mobilise local people
to support the movement. You always need local support and can't do
anything without them."
On listing Ram Setu as an endangered historical monument, she said
unfortunately the nomination for this year was already over. "The
question is how to find a mechanism in this case to publicise it
extensively to gather public opinion. We need to know how the Sri
Lankan Government and people feel about the demolition. There is no
question of wrong and the right in any issue and the answer is finding
consensus. How much can we save or whether there are any alternatives
to the project without destruction. The Government could be made to
realise that it's more valuable to preserve the site. Often, the fund
may not be able to convince the Governments as we do not don
policemen's role. We could not stop the construction of a dam in
Turkey as the Government would not listen to us. The dam would flood
some of the great archaeological sites yet the Government was
adamant," she said.
Bonnie Burnham, president of the Fund, said the movement against the
project should be tenacious in getting the public voice heard. "If we
could convince the Federal Government on Taj Mahal which would have
been affected by developments, I am sure we can find a way out for
this issue too. Fortunately, lot of heritage bodies in India came
together and provided their support to stop an action that would have
had an adverse negative impact on the world monument. Joint voices
really do make a difference. The organisers should rope in bodies like
INTACH," she added.
In India, I hope there will be a much greater development of NGOs at
local level. There is no more awareness now and private sector can
really play a role. Heritage of India is too rich for the Government
to take care of by itself. Voice of the private sector will have a
clout on such matters. In India as of now, it's really not easy for
foreign NGOs to get established due to extremely laborious legal
process. There are not strong incentives for philanthropy. Changing
laws related to both the issues would have a huge impact and there is
very strong interest among foreign NGOs to get involved with India's
heritage. There is no infrastructure that supports the Government
efforts. No community exists that does not have something important to
say on Indian heritage, she added.
For any comments, queries or feedback, kindly mail us at
pioneerletters@ yahoo.co. in
Prakaash M Swami | New York
# <b>World Monuments Fund</b> favours garnering public support on this
ancient bridge
# Government can make it a tourist attraction, say experts
World Monuments Fund, an international preservation organisation that
brings out World Monuments Watch List of endangered sites, has said
that the Government of India should be made to realise that it's more
valuable to preserve Ram Setu or Adam's Bridge than demolishing it.
Marilyn Perry, chairman of the fund, said in an interview on the
sidelines of the function to release the list of endangered sites of
the world in its New York Madison Avenue office that the Federal
Government could consider sending scuba divers underwater to collect
sand deposits and analyse them in the laboratory. "The Government
could leave the disputed area untouched and make it as a tourist
attraction by sending tourists in glass bottom boats to see what's
inside the sea. That could compensate for whatever is the revenue loss
of diversion. They could also invite international team of scuba
divers to come and take underwater photography and tests to find out
whether the rock formations still exit. It's easy to demolish but hard
to construct anything again," she said.
Agreeing that the fund is not a world policeman and its requests may
fell on deaf ears, she said an alternative vision of the value which
Government officials may not see should be created. "They often only
see the water and the revenue and not the archaeological importance
beneath the sea. The organisers of the movement could use mass media
such as television and also make a film and show to the people to
create awareness. We have to create enough documentation that the
bridge was ancient and that it's sacred to both India and Sri Lanka as
it demonstrates historic connections. Instead of being frightened of
the national Government, the organisers should mobilise local people
to support the movement. You always need local support and can't do
anything without them."
On listing Ram Setu as an endangered historical monument, she said
unfortunately the nomination for this year was already over. "The
question is how to find a mechanism in this case to publicise it
extensively to gather public opinion. We need to know how the Sri
Lankan Government and people feel about the demolition. There is no
question of wrong and the right in any issue and the answer is finding
consensus. How much can we save or whether there are any alternatives
to the project without destruction. The Government could be made to
realise that it's more valuable to preserve the site. Often, the fund
may not be able to convince the Governments as we do not don
policemen's role. We could not stop the construction of a dam in
Turkey as the Government would not listen to us. The dam would flood
some of the great archaeological sites yet the Government was
adamant," she said.
Bonnie Burnham, president of the Fund, said the movement against the
project should be tenacious in getting the public voice heard. "If we
could convince the Federal Government on Taj Mahal which would have
been affected by developments, I am sure we can find a way out for
this issue too. Fortunately, lot of heritage bodies in India came
together and provided their support to stop an action that would have
had an adverse negative impact on the world monument. Joint voices
really do make a difference. The organisers should rope in bodies like
INTACH," she added.
In India, I hope there will be a much greater development of NGOs at
local level. There is no more awareness now and private sector can
really play a role. Heritage of India is too rich for the Government
to take care of by itself. Voice of the private sector will have a
clout on such matters. In India as of now, it's really not easy for
foreign NGOs to get established due to extremely laborious legal
process. There are not strong incentives for philanthropy. Changing
laws related to both the issues would have a huge impact and there is
very strong interest among foreign NGOs to get involved with India's
heritage. There is no infrastructure that supports the Government
efforts. No community exists that does not have something important to
say on Indian heritage, she added.
For any comments, queries or feedback, kindly mail us at
pioneerletters@ yahoo.co. in